Celebrate Native American History In DFW

DFW has many places to celebrate National Native American History Month this November. Cuisine, art, shopping, museums, historic walks at Sundance Square, music and classic movies are just some of the fun to discover. These are the best ways to celebrate Native American history and culture right near you.

Fire Station #1 Museum at Sundance Square
203 Commerce St.
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
(817) 255-9300
www.fortworthmuseum.org/

Price: $16 adults/$12 children 2 to 12 and seniors 65 and older

Fort Worth began as a U.S. Army fort in 1849 to protect worried settlers from Comanches. Fire Station #1 traces 150 years of history that includes photographs of famed Comanche Chief Quanah Parker. The museum is located at Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth close to a historic walking trail. The Burke Burnett Building, built by a friend of Chief Quanah Parker, is a short walk from the museum. The large Chisholm Trail Mural sits next to where the historic Pickwick Hotel once stood. In 1885 Comanche Chiefs Quanah Parker and Yellow Bear shared a room at the hotel. Failing to extinguish a gas lamp correctly, Yellow Bear died while Parker managed to escape. Also on Main Street, a historical marker describes the abduction of Cynthia Ann Parker from her home at Fort Parker. She later married a Comanche chief and became the mother of three children including Quanah Parker.

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National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
1720 Gendy St.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 336-4475
www.cowgirl.net

Price: $5 admission charge/free children 2 and younger with paid admission by an adult

The National Cowgirl Museum honors three Native American women in its Hall of Fame. The first is Sacagawea, a Shoshone Indian interpreter and guide during the Lewis and Clark expedition into the Louisiana Purchase territory. She also led during an expedition to the Pacific. Next is Wilma Mankiller who was the first female principal Cherokee chief. She worked to empower the Cherokee nation and to preserve its heritage. The third inductee is Maria Martinez, an artist who revived the prehistoric Pueblo craft of polished black pottery called San Ildefonso. The museum bookstore sells "Frank Gallagher" wooden Indian statues by the same Native American family that carved them in the 1840s. The beautiful Zuni jewelry is also created by Native Americans. The bookstore features a wonderful coffee table, Native American cookbooks and children's books as well.

Nezhoni Trading Post
4319 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(877) 999-1140 toll free
(817) 377-1140 local
www.nezhoni.com

The Nezhoni Trading Post is a fun-filled place to shop and discover everything Southwestern, including fragrances with a hint of desert flowers, honeysuckle, citrus, pinon pine and a pinch of sage. Specializing in authentic Native American jewelry including one-of-a-kind pieces, Nezhoni is a shopper's dream. Beautiful clay pottery, kitchenware, cosmetics and surprising Southwestern cuisine including cactus salsa, green chili jelly and blue corn pinon pancake mix help create a perfect Native American experience and ambience.

Sid Richardson Museum
309 Main St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 332-6554
www.sidrichardsonmuseum.org

Price: free

Sid Richardson Museum houses one of the world's finest Western art collections. In the early 1940sm Richardson, a wealthy oil man, began collecting works by the famous Western painters Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Remington and Russell depicted Native American's lives and interactions with settlers, cowboys and the U.S. Calvary. Guided museum tours and studio activities let visitors experience Western art first hand. The Second Saturday at the Sid Richardson Museum provides a guided tour and a live performance by Roberta Atkins that highlights the career of Charles Russell. Atkins tells his story from the perspective of his wife, Nancy Cooper Russell.

Cornell Kinderknecht
c/o Artesound Music
14232 Marsh Lane, Suite 72
Addison, TX 75001
(469) 248-6215
www.cornellk.com/

Specializing in flutes and other woodwind instruments, Cornell Kinderknecht is an award-winning recording artist who includes Native American flute in his repertoire. Located in Dallas, he performs in concerts, conducts workshops and private lessons. Check his website for upcoming events that include Cornell's Annual Flute/Music Party in Weatherford Nov. 17, and the 20th Annual Winter SolstiCelebration Dec. 21.

Native American Winds
4614 Goodnight Trail
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
(214) 789-9130
www.nativeamericanwinds.com

Native American Winds is a small store in Grand Prairie that specializes in Native American books, music and movies. It carries a large variety of titles and sells online while also attending events. Nov. 10 to 12, it's at the 23rd Annual Texas Championship Native American Pow Wow Traders Village in Houston. Its extensive movie list includes "A Man Called Horse" with Richard Harris, "Spirit The Seventh Fire" and "Trudell."

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Marilee Vergati, is an international award winning art director and writer. As a native Dallasite and fifth generation Texan, she brings a unique insight to her beloved state, its events, arts, ecology and people. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.